Eight people in Uzbekistan dug tunnels leading to Kyrgyzstan and smuggled more than $1.5 million. Press service of the State Security Service reports.
According to it, officers of the State Security Service for Andijan and Namangan regions stopped the illegal activities of eight people who dug tunnels leading from Uzbekistan to Kyrgyzstan in the cross-border territory. They were detained while illegally transporting more than $1,641 million from Uzbekistan to Kyrgyzstan.
«When examining the place of residence of one of the members of the criminal group, a 32-year-old resident of the Kurgontepa district, the officers found an underground tunnel 1 square meter wide, 150 meters long, leading to Kyrgyzstan. During the investigation, another underground tunnel was discovered, which was located in the courtyard of the house of one of the group members. The width of this tunnel was 1 square meter, the depth was 10-12 meters and the length was about 400-420 meters. A trolley with a small electric motor was installed in this tunnel, which moved along a makeshift railway. The State Security Service found out that the organized criminal group consisted of eight people, six of whom were citizens of Kyrgyzstan. The group was managed by a 48-year-old native of Kyrgyzstan,» the statement says.
A criminal case was initiated against the criminal group. The court sentenced its members from six to eight years in prison.
